In Our Dreams, Forever Mine
by shadowblade-tara
Summary: AU. When the Nelson is destroyed by an unknown force, there are only two survivors. Fate has something special in mind for these two, if they can survive long enough to learn of it. For who are they, if not each others?
1. Chapter 1

Star Trek © Not mine.

This is going to be a long-ass story. If it works out the way it should, it's going to cover kid!fic territory, plus a retelling of ST:IX and ST:ID. So please review an let me know if this is worth the time and effort I'm gonna have to put into this to keep updating at a reasonable rate.

**ch 1**

Captain Christopher Pike has never seen anything like this.

The USS _Nelson_ is gone. Completely obliterated by an unknown weapon system. That alone is a staggering fact. Even more terrifying is the number of survivors.

Two. Just two, and only children. They were put in an escape pod and jettisoned into space, where the _Alliance_ found them two days later, still floating the debris field. They're just children, the youngest of the two barely five years old, the oldest maybe six months older than that.

Pike stands there on his own ship, watching from outside the medbay as his medic looks them over. Boyce performs his scans in silence instead of trying to talk with the kids like he might have – and Pike suspects the Vulcan child has a lot to do with that.

Number One stands beside him. "How are they?"

"Boyce is still working on them." he says with a small sigh. "Dammit, I didn't even know there were Vulcans on the _Nelson_, much less children!" He doesn't look away from the window. "When we pulled them aboard, the blond was holding the other. The life support systems were designed to maintain a lower temperature than Vulcans can sustain."

Number One snorts. "Does that explain why they're holding hands?" she asks. Sure enough, the children are holding hands, and haven't let go of each other during the entire exam. The little blond boy is staring blankly at his knees; the Vulcan watches Boyce intently, mistrust clear on his face.

Finally, Boyce pulls back. The Vulcan relaxes just a little. Boyce attempts a smile. "What's your name?" he asks gently.

The Vulcan's gaze flickers to the little boy before returning to Boyce. "I am Spock." he says, his Standard a little forced. It's clear he's unused to the language. "This is Jim."

"Do you know Jim's last name, Spock?" Boyce asks. "We need to find his family."

Spock's grip on Jim tightens just a bit. Just enough. "No."

Boyce nods and leaves the medbay. Pike arches an eyebrow at him. "Well?" he asks. "How are they?"

"Considering that Jim is the only reason Spock is still alive, I'd say pretty good." Boyce says. "However, I have some concerns about separating them. I don't believe they'd react to it very well."

Number One frowns. "How so?" she asks.

Boyce shrugs. "You heard Spock. He won't tell me Jim's surname. I believe he knows it. He just doesn't want me to take Jim away, and he knows that will happen if I find family."

"I can't imagine a human family taking on a Vulcan child." Pike muses. "Or vice versa. That would just be too strange."

"Strange or not, we need to know what to do with them." Number One says. "They'll have to be separated eventually. There's just no other way to do it."

"Jim won't speak." Boyce protests. "He's letting Spock talk for him. I have no doubt he'll speak to Spock, but something happened in that pod that's taken his words. Until he recovers from that, removing his constant is only going to make things a thousand times worse for him. Probably for Spock as well. I imagine he's using Jim as a shield for his own trauma."

Pike snorts. "What trauma? Vulcans are emotionless bastards, Boyce, you know that."

Boyce points at the window. "Does _that_ look like an _emotionless bastard_ to you?" he demands. "He's a _child_, Chris. He's a Vulcan in appearance only. He's _scared_, and the only reason he's pretending he's not is because Jim needs him to not be. Do you know what that means?"

Number One sighs. "It means separating the two of them is going to trigger a meltdown in both." she says with some level of resignation. "Jim could retreat further into himself and refuse to speak at all. Spock – well, there's no telling what he would do. We haven't seen how he manifests trauma yet."

Pike holds up both hands. "Okay, okay, fine – geez, you guys are ganging up on me." He considers for a moment. "Well, the Tarsus IV outpost has an orphanage. We can send them there until we find out more about where they came from. Maybe by the time we find their families, they'll be ready to separate."

"Or maybe they'll be even more invested in each other." Boyce retorts. "Ah, well, it's your choice, Captain."

Pike grimaces. "Number One, change direction. Let's head to Tarsus IV."

"Aye, Captain."

/-/

It takes six weeks to get to Tarsus IV at Warp 4. During that time, Spock and Jim rarely leave the medbay and are never seen outside of each other's company. They are often referred to simply as 'the children', as if they are a single entity instead of two separate species. They change a little during that time as well. Spock finally grows comfortable enough with Boyce and his staff to stop watching them constantly while they work. Jim start talking again, mostly to Spock, a little to everyone else. He refuses to speak to the captain and has barely spoken more than five words to Number One.

When command staff speak to them, Spock does the talking. How he knows exactly what to say in place of Jim is beyond their understanding.

It's frustrating, but not surprising. Something has happened to make both children wary of the command staff, and Pike doesn't like to think about what that might mean. Boyce found no evidence of physical abuse, but clearly some emotional trauma has taken place here. The only clue as to the children's identities is that a genetic makeup reveals Spock is only half-Vulcan. However, as no hybrid births have been reported from the VSA, the children continue to keep to themselves, and Boyce and Pike try to learn what they can from observation.

This is hindered by the fact that both children are very well-versed in Vulcan, and no one else speaks it. When they actually bother to speak aloud to each other, it's in the Vulcan language, and no one can make heads or tails of it.

A week away from Tarsus IV, Pike makes a request for a Vulcan ambassador to be brought aboard the _Alliance._ To his annoyance, Ambassador Serek and his human wife, Amanda Grayson, are brought aboard. Serek greets him with the customary _ta'al_. "Captain Pike."

"Ambassador." Pike returns the greeting a bit clumsily. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the children." He turns and guides them away from the transporter room. Amanda stays a half-pace behind her husband. From what Pike has gathered, it is customary for Vulcan diplomatic couples like these two to have the wife defer to the husband. By experience, Pike knows Amanda will never stay silent for long, and Serek would not have her any other way.

Sure enough, Amanda is the one to break the silence. "Why do you need our help with both of them?" she asks. "From what I understand, one is a human boy."

"Yeah, well, both of them speak Vulcan, and neither will have anything to do with me." Pike grouses. "I need to know what happened to them, and for that, I need to know what they're saying."

"You need a translator." Serek points out. "Not an ambassador."

Pike shrugs. "Well, the kid is half-Vulcan." He leaves it there. As much as Serek annoys him, he actually sort of likes the Vulcan. At least he doesn't play political games with him. Pike is probably the only human in Starfleet who knows that they've been trying to conceive – only to have a stillborn each time. They make it to the medbay. "There they are."

Serek watches them through the glass. They're playing on the floor, using a few empty hyposprays as toys. They're talking, and the quiet Vulcan words sound a little strange coming from the blond-haired boy. "I would require time to observe them." Serek says. "Where are you planning on taking them?"

"Tarsus IV, until we can figure out who they belong to."

"Then I have a week. I hope I can provide you with the information you require in that time."

Pike sighs. "I hope so, too." he murmurs. "I really do."


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Okay, so I really don't know much about Serek except for what I read from fanfiction, and that varies. A lot. So here's my version of him.

**ch 2**

A week, Serek decides a bit sourly, is not long enough.

It doesn't help that his emotional state is constantly being thrown off-balance by the children. Jim is _afraid_ of them, all of them, and he projects so strongly that Serek can practically taste the fear. He seems calm enough around Boyce, or even Serek and Amanda, but the instant Pike walks into the room that fear is back. Jim will turn his gaze to Serek, and it's like he's trying to reach out with his mind when he knows his words will fail him. If his psi rating was any higher, he might manage it.

Spock is another matter entirely. He's too quiet, almost too withdrawn – until he gets around Jim, and then his eyes light up and he smiles. It's like he doesn't know how to react to anyone _other_ than Jim, and a Vulcan child his age should at least know how to hold a simple discourse with an adult. He's confusing, and then there's his eyes – very human eyes, eyes that remind him a little of Amanda's. The fact that Spock is a half-breed and about the right age to belong to himself does not help matters.

Serek blames the unusual emotional distress, but it takes him until they're a day away from Tarsus IV before he finally realizes it. Once he does, the rest of the pieces fall into place.

"A bond." he tells Amanda. They watch the children from the hallway, outside of the medbay. "I did not see it before, but now it is clear. The two share a bond."

Amanda frowns. "That requires a healer."

"There are a few cases of spontaneous bonding occurring." Serek says. "Not many, but it is not unheard of. Between two different species – that is a first, but Spock is half-human. Perhaps it is not so surprising."

Amanda sighs. "That explains so much." she murmurs. "I doubt either child's parents were happy with that knowledge."

"Assuming it occurred before the _Nelson_ was destroyed." Serek observes. "There is the possibility that the prolonged contact of the escape pod may have triggered it. Regardless, they have known each other long enough that they can speak with the bond. Jim does have some psi skills, after all."

Amanda glances at him. "What does that mean?"

"If Jim and Spock allow it, I can perform a mind-meld with Jim. That will allow him to tell me what he cannot with his voice. Something happened on the _Nelson_ that has made him silent. He needs to speak it."

There's a long pause. "Are you going to discuss this with Captain Pike first?"

"No. His consent is not what I require."

"And he would just say no, an you don't believe in asking for permission." Amanda teases.

Serek offers her a small smile. "I find I get farther in life if I just ask forgiveness later and skip the whole permission part." He reaches out, giving her a Vulcan kiss before slipping into the medbay. Boyce looks up but otherwise ignores him. Serek sits in front of the children, crossing his legs as he takes his place on the floor. Whatever game they were playing with the empty med bottles is instantly forgotten. Serek keeps his hands in his lap, making sure to appear as non-threatening as possible.

"Jim," he says quietly, "I think something bad happened to you on the _Nelson_. I think you want to tell someone, but you are too frightened. Am I right?" Jim nods slowly. He's gripping Spock's hand tightly, but the Vulcan child just lets him hold on. Serek continues. "I have a way for you to tell me without anyone ever knowing. Is that okay?"

Spock pulls Jim a little closer. "What way?" he asks.

"A mind meld. I promise, it will be completely painless."

The effect is instantaneous. Spock stills so completely that Serek can't even see if he's breathing. Jim pales, and for the first time Serek sees Jim manifest the same protective instinct that has characterized Spock's relations with him – he uses his grip on the child to pull him back, away from Serek.

And with that, Serek has his answer. He can't completely hide the flash of anger in his eyes, but his voice is rock steady when he speaks. "That's what happened, isn't it? Spock's parents learned of your bond, and they performed a mind meld to, I assume, attempt to break it." Jim nods again. "Your parents did not speak against it. It _hurt_, and no one spoke to protect you, but Spock tried. And you returned the favor in the escape pod." Once again, Jim nods. Serek scoots back a little. "I will not harm you, either of you. That I can promise."

With those words, a great change shows. Both children exchange looks and simultaneously relax. Spock turns his gaze back to Serek. "It was not his parents." he says quietly. "They were not aboard the ship. It was the captain who allowed it."

That explains Pike, at least. Serek nods. "Jim, where are your parents?" he asks. "I will not tell Pike if you do not wish it."

Jim shakes his head. "I don't know." he says quietly. Serek simply nods. He does not inquire of the boy's surname – he already knows the answer he'll get. Instead, a different plan is forming in his mind. If Pike cannot find their families, then new ones will have to be acquired. Or rather, one new family, for both of them.

When he leaves the medbay, Amanda is already beside him. "Are you serious? You want to adopt them?" she asks, and none of her training is enough to hide the hope in her voice. Serek nods.

"It needs some careful consideration, but I believe it to be the logical choice." he says. "They cannot be separated. Besides, I find myself growing fond of them."

She hugs him right there in the hallway, and Serek can only be grateful that they are alone. "Thank you." she whispers, and he hides his smile in her shoulder.

/-/

In the medbay, Spock and Jim watch them leave. Spock sighs. "I cannot keep speaking for you." he says gently. "You have to talk at some point."

"I know." Jim says. The Vulcan sounds natural now, like he's spoken it his entire life instead of the six months they've been together on the ship. "I just – I can't yet. I just can't. My head hurts too much when they come."

Spock nods. "Does it hurt now?"

"Yeah." Jim gives him a look. "Yours hurts too."

Spock doesn't deny the truth of that. They've had a shared headache ever since T'Lana tried to break their bond. The gold thread that connects them is splintered now, and the sharp edges hurt. Spock simply reaches out and touches the side of Jim's face. It's not a meld, not in the truest sense, but it allows their minds to touch however shallowly. It soothes the pain.

After a few minutes, Jim speaks, still leaning into the touch. "What are we gonna do?"

Spock looks up at the window and watches Serek and Amanda leave. "I don't know." he says. "But I won't let them separate us. I promise."

"I know. I promise too."

From his office, Boyce watches them and wonders just what it is they talk about when they think no one is listening.

/-/

Back in his quarters, Serek makes plans. He sets the paperwork in motion – it could take years for such a thing to go through. Interspecies adoptions are not illegal, but they are frowned upon, even in the progressive Federation. Of course, there are thousands of logical reasons not to adopt outside your own species, but those reasons also apply to marriage, too. Serek does not always allow logic to dictate his actions.

Spock and Jim are five years old. They could very well be nine or ten by the time an adoption becomes official. It would not be logical to lose contact with his desired children, so he makes plans with his aides to get regular visits out to Tarsus IV.

After it is all said and done, he sits on his mat to meditate for a while before joining Amanda in bed. He needs to find his center before he confronts Pike with his decision.


	3. Chapter 3

**ch 3**

"Are you out of your Vulcan mind?!" Pike snaps. "That's insane!"

"It's no worse than dropping them off at some orphanage and leaving them there." Amanda snaps. It's always interesting to watch Amanda Grayson lose her temper. She walks the line between Vulcan and human so carefully that it actually frightens everyone who has to deal with her. Pike is not excluded from this effect. He has to visibly make the effort to not shrink back in his chair. Amanda stands just in front of his desk, hands clasped behind her back. Her voice is even, her face neutral, but her eyes burn with fury.

Pike clasps his hands on top of the desk. "There's a reason mixed-species adoption is frowned upon by polite society." he bites out.

"Probably for the same reason mixed-species _marriage_ is frowned upon." Amanda retorts. "Or did you forget that Serek and I are in a unique position to raise the boys?"

"No, I have _not_ forgotten." Pike growls. He glances over at Serek. "Well? Anything you wish to add to this?"

"I believe my wife is making our point rather clearly." Serek says mildly, but Pike suspects the Vulcan is actually laughing hysterically inside. No one can stand up to Amanda Grayson on a warpath, not even T'Pau – hence the marriage. Pike rolls his eyes.

"Lovely. I'm sure there are plenty of _logical_ reasons why you should take the boys."

"Of course." Serek says blandly, and he's probably the only Vulcan who can use that flat tone to convey everything from _of course_ to _No shit, Sherlock._ He's also the only Vulcan Pike wants to strangle on a regular basis. "I only informed you of our decision because I suspect you will wish to challenge us."

"I'm a captain, Ambassador." Pike points out. "I don't have the time to take care of a child."

"Very well. Seeing as how you would be my only challenger, that means the paperwork will not take as long." Serek says. He stands up. "I would like to accompany the children down to the planet. I wish to see the orphanage for myself."

"Make sure it's up to your standards?" Pike sighs. "Whatever, go for it. I need to go down there myself anyway and sign the transfer documents." He stands up from behind his desk and leaves the office, Serek and Amanda following.

The trip to the planet is tense – at least for Pike it is. Tarsus IV is the closest planet with a Federation outpost and an orphanage, but he knows that if Serek and Amanda do not find this place satisfactory, they will force Pike to take the boys elsewhere. Pike and Serek sit up front in the shuttle while Amanda sits in the back with the boys. She talks quietly to them in Vulcan, and it's only mildly surprising that both boys respond. Jim is actually fairly comfortable around Amanda in a way he has never been with any other adult.

Serek breaks the silence. "Who was the captain of the _Nelson_?" he asks.

Pike sighs. "George Kirk. A good friend of mine. He and his wife died in the incident."

"There is still no sign of what caused the _Nelson_'s destruction?"

"No." Pike leans back. "Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity."

Pike snorts. "There is no such thing as just _curiosity_ with you. You're a chess player – you're always six steps ahead of the rest of us. What's on your mind?"

"The boys have formed a bond." Serek says. "One of Spock's parents attempted to mind-meld with Jim in order to break it. I do not have to tell you what a painful process that can be."

"No, you don't." Pike says, sitting up a little straighter again. "Who authorized this?"

"Apparently, Captain Kirk."

For a long moment, Pike just stares at Serek. Finally, he groans. "That explains so much." he mutters. "No wonder he never trusted me. Kid's probably scared to death of all authority figures."

"I thought you would like to know that it wasn't personal."

Pike grins. "Don't let anyone else know, but I'm pretty sure you actually care." he teases lightly. "We'll be on surface in about thirty minutes. Hopefully Jim won't make the connection between captain and anyone else in authority." Suddenly his mood sours. "Damn it. I can't imagine George authorizing something like that, not without consulting Jim's parents."

Serek nods. "I find it highly unlikely as well. However, Spock left me with the impression that Jim's parents were not aboard the ship."

"You think that's true?"

"I think that is what they wish to believe to protect themselves from the truth." the Vulcan says quietly. "They are still children. No child wants to believe that their parents are gone."

Pike shakes his head. "Which also means we're no closer to figuring out who they belong to."

"I would rather you leave them in my hands." Serek points out. "A bond such as theirs should be cherished, not broken. They should not be separated."

"Yeah, I know." Pike waves him off. "I'm not that big of an ass. But Starfleet law comes first. If I can find their families before your adoption goes through, then I have to separate them. That's the law."

"Then, for the children's sakes, I hope you never find their families."

/-/

Tarsus IV is a desert planet, but the settlement has been expertly terraformed. The boys exchange looks as they are lead off the shuttle, flanked on either side by Amanda and Serek. Jim speaks first. _It's huge._ he says. Spock nods.

_It feels different from the ship._ he observes. Jim shrugs.

_I guess it should. I mean, it's not a ship – it's a planet._

Spock nods again. _It does make me wonder what planet is used for setting Federation life support systems._ he muses. _It's not this one._

Jim laughs. It only sounds inside Spock's head, through their bond, but it warms Spock regardless. He hasn't heard Jim laugh since the _Nelson_ exploded. He allows a small smile to cross his face as the adults take them to the orphanage.

They're getting looks. The colony is predominantly human, and the two Vulcans are attracting attention. Jim takes hold of Spock's hand and lifts his chin. Now _he's_ getting looks as well. The whispers fly ahead of them as they make their way through the colony. There's a gentle touch on his shoulder, and a flash of foreign pride as he looks up to see Serek giving him that not-smile that he's used to seeing from Spock. He grins back as only a child can and turns his focus forward, schooling his features in a passable imitation of Serek's expressionless façade.

When they make it to the orphanage, Amanda immediately begins to scowl. "I hope this place isn't built completely yet."

"They don't have that many kids here." Pike explains. "It's actually being run out of this woman's home. There is a facility being built on the edge of the colony." Amanda nods acceptance.

Serek allows Amanda to sort out any problems with the facility. As illogical as instincts can be, Amanda's are spot-on. If there is anything wrong with this place, she will know it far quicker than he will. Instead he crouches down and focuses on the children.

"This will not be the last you see of us." he says quietly, switching from Standard to Vulcan. "Amanda and I will come again."

Spock nods. "To visit?"

"At first. Then, soon, to take you home."

Jim brightens. "Home. You hear that, Spock? He said home."

Spock blinks, shock flickering across his face for just a moment. "You mean, to live with you and Amanda?"

"Yes." Serek assures them. "By then, I believe it would be prudent for you to call us Mother and Father." He spreads his hand out in the _ta'al._ "Live long and prosper." There's a small flicker of amusement as the children attempt it as well.

As they leave, Amanda leans against his shoulder briefly. "They'll be ours, right?"

Serek nods. "Of course."


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I just wanted to let you guys know thank you so much for your reviews! I'm still fairly new to this fandom and you have no idea how much knowing you like this story means to me.

**ch 4**

When she first met Spock and Jim, Harriet Tru privately thought the relationship would never last. Harriet keeps three other children in her home, and all of them are human. She knows how children are. She figures that, give it a few months, and Jim will walk away from Spock. The ambassador will take the Vulcan child away, and Jim will join a family in the Tarsus IV settlement. That is what she assumes will happen, and honestly, she's not the only one. Several families express an interest in Jim, but none in Spock, and Harriet simply is not surprised.

This is a human settlement.

Three months into their stay, Ambassador Serek comes to visit the children for the first time. Harriet supervises (sort of) in the large family room of her house. Of course, the Vulcan's sharp eyes catch the greenish bruise (now a few weeks old) on Jim's cheek. The few corresponding bruises on Spock are at least hidden by his shirt. She watches as Serek kneels in front of Jim and gently cups his face, examining the bruise.

"How did this happen?" he asks.

"He was defending me." Spock explains quietly. "The other children here are not fond of us."

Serek nods. "You must learn to control your reactions." His eyes are on Jim, but he speaks to both children. "Emotional responses will only encourage them."

Jim nods, his face a careful blank. Spock draws Serek's attention by lifting the hem of his shirt, revealing the bruises on his ribs. "They did not use words." the boy says, his voice barely above a whisper.

"They will not do it again." Jim says, and the lack of _anything_ in his voice sends chills down Harriet's spine.

Serek looks between the two of them. "I assume they look worse than you do." he says, and there might just be a hint of pride in the words. Then he switches to Vulcan, and the conversation moves on to different things, she assumes.

Harriet is only supervisor of the orphans for a year. During this year, she learns several things about Spock and Jim that she's pretty sure no one else has figured out yet. For one, Jim is extremely intelligent. He bores of his classes easily, and Harriet has to find new ways of challenging him. Human five-year-olds should not be able to learn this fast, but Jim _does_. He can keep pace with his Vulcan comrade, and that says something. Spock is just as frighteningly intelligent as his species claims, and between the two of them, they can get creative.

The children do not warm up to Spock and Jim. In fact, Jim does not abandon Spock like Harriet once assumed. If anything, the constant animosity from the other children only further cements their _us versus them_ mentality. Occasionally, things get physical – shoving, a few punches, some bruises. The entire time, Spock and Jim keep their chins up and ignore it to the best of a five-year-old's ability.

Then someone decides to take a brick to Spock. He's an older boy, twelve or so, using his parents' prejudice as an excuse for his violence. He's tall, burly, and knows exactly what he's doing. He gets exactly one strike in, and Harriet is pretty sure that was the element of surprise.

Jim breaks the boy's arm in his fury.

After that, the physical attacks stop.

Serek and Amanda continue to visit the children at regular intervals – at least every three months, sometimes more frequently. After the incident with the brick, no more families come inquiring after Jim. Spock seems to prefer that, as does Amanda. She likes sitting with the children in her lap while Serek teaches the boys about Vulcan culture. He tell them stories of great Vulcan philosophers and scientists and explorers, and Amanda tells them Earth fairy tales and stories of magic and mystery.

These are to be children of two worlds. They will be educated as such.

One incident will forever stay with Harriet. A family has come to adopt. The mother – a sweet woman called Daisy – has taken a shine to Jim. She sits with him outside as he builds a birdhouse, smiling and talking. He's giving her short, three word answers, but she's not put off, and Harriet hopes for a brief moment that someone will finally give Jim a home before those Vulcans ruin him.

Daisy leans forward, smiling. "How would you like to come home with me?" she asks. "You could build all the birdhouses you want. My husband could even teach you how to make other things as well, if you'd like."

Jim blinks slowly. He finally looks away from his project long enough to make eye contact with Daisy. "Why would I go home with you?" he asks, tilting his head to the side. "I already have a mother."

"You do? Where is she?"

"On Vulcan, with my father. He's an ambassador." Jim says proudly, only stumbling slightly over the word. Daisy's smile turns strained.

"You're not a Vulcan." she points out. "You're a human."

"So is my mother. My father is Vulcan. I took after her while my brother took after him."

Then Spock materializes beside Jim, holding a small can of green paint. He looks from Jim to Daisy, giving her a thorough once-over before completely dismissing her and returning his attention to Jim. He sits down beside the boy and hands him the can of paint.

_The others have taken all the brushes._ he says. _We'll have to wait until they are finished._

Jim nods. _Well, we could always just find a way to take a brush – _

_Jim._

_But after last time that might be overkill._ Jim finishes, and he's laughing once again. It makes Spock smile ever-so-slightly. Jim turns his attention back to Daisy. "This is my brother, miss." he says. "His name is Spock."

Spock salutes her with the _ta'al_. "Live long and prosper." he says blandly.

For a long moment, Daisy just stares at the two of them. Slowly, she smiles at Jim. "Sweetie, you can't be Spock's brother." she says gently. "You're human, and he's not. You're just a little confused, that's all." She reaches out to touch Jim's shoulder, only to find her way blocked by Spock's arm.

Neither boy's face shows any emotion. They stare at her blankly, just like proper Vulcans. Daisy shivers. Spock lets his arm fall back so he can touch Jim's shoulder. "Your disbelief is irrelevant." he says. "Jim is my brother, and we are both Vulcan." There's a slight emphasis on the word _my_, and Daisy's face crumbles. Tears form in her eyes. Once again, she turns her focus to Jim.

"You are such a special boy." she whispers. "You can do great things with your life, but not if you stay with him. He will drag you down, Jim. Let me help you. Please. Let me show you how good being human can be."

For a very long moment, Jim just stares at her. Spock tightens his grip on the other boy's shoulder. He can sense Jim's emotions through their bond – repeated contact has healed the frayed thread, turned it into a strong network of strings that hold them together. He knows Jim is confused and slightly unnerved. No one has paid him this kind of attention before. No one has been kind like this before. It frightens Spock.

_I am not going anywhere._ Jim assures him. _She is simply being illogical when it will not be helpful._ His gaze flickers past Daisy, and surprise and joy override all else. "_Ko-mekh_!" The word slips out with a little more enthusiasm than might be acceptable, but Spock brightens considerably as well. Amanda waves at them, and both children stand up and take off to her. She hugs them both.

"Where is _A'nirih_?" Spock asks, pulling back just a bit. The conversation continues in Vulcan, leaving Daisy completely out as she stares at the children.

Harriet watches the entire exchange with a small, sad smile. She knows then that Spock and Jim will never be separated.

/-/

AN: _Ko-mekh_ – mother. _A'nirih_ – father. It sounded better in Vulcan than it did in English. If anyone knows of an English-to-Vulcan phrase translator (or can translate English to Vulcan for me), please let me know. I'm coming up short.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Eat lots of turkey and enjoy your families!


	5. Chapter 5

**ch 5**

After Harriet leaves the orphanage and hands the children over to Talia, a young Orion woman who is good with children, Kodos becomes governor of the Tarsus IV colony. This change concerns Amanda; Kodos is well known in the science world for his interest in eugenics. This interest has raised all sorts of red flags with his fellow scientists, but Starfleet, and more importantly, the Federation, haven't seen the need to do anything about this interest. Originally, Amanda had never paid much attention to Kodos either, but now –

Well, now he's in control of a colony where her babies are. She can't protect Jim and Spock if she's not even on the same planet, and she has good reason to be concerned. Kodos is also well-known for being borderline xenophobic. The few non-human species that live on Tarsus IV are easy targets for someone like him. Spock can be in danger just because of his pointed ears.

Jim is no safer. Amanda still remembers that one terrifying visit where they learned that Jim, having spent five years in a sterile spaceship, has severe allergies and is allergic to standard antihistamine. It took a mind-meld with Serek to calm his body enough that he could breathe again. After that, Serek taught the boys the basics of mind-melds. Severe allergies tend to make people appear weak, and Amanda fears what that weakness might lead to.

Serek does what he can to assuage her of her fear, but he knows it is a logical fear, and that just makes it worse. Their trips to Tarsus IV become more frequent as Serek starts using his own political pull to make the adoption paperwork go through faster. He wants his children off that planet as soon as possible.

Then, one day, all diplomatic visits to Tarsus IV are suspended.

/-/

Three months after Kodos is made governor, he begins actively segregating the population.

At first, no one realizes what is happening. The children, perhaps, are the first to realize it. There are guards at the cafeteria doors, and when a group of children including Spock and Jim try to enter, they are stopped. One of the guards smiles kindly at the boys. "I'm sorry, kids, but all non-humans have to use the back door." he says. "Governor's orders."

Spock and Jim exchange looks, but they break from the line regardless. The guard frowns. "Hey, kid – I said non-humans." he protests.

Jim blinks. "Spock is my brother." he says. "I'm just as Vulcan as he is."

The guard lets it go, but he makes a mental note of Jim's face. He's going to have to keep an eye out for that one.

It doesn't take long, maybe a few weeks, before all buildings are segregated in such a fashion. After a month, the few non-humans on Tarsus IV have left. Spock and Jim have nowhere else to go. They stay.

Food was scarce before Kodos; now it's used as a weapon. Spock and Jim sit on top of the orphanage, bellies empty, and watch the workers bring in the grain. Jim pulls his knees up to his chest and hugs them there. "This isn't right." he says softly.

Spock glances at him. "It's just like what the children do." he says. "_A'nirih_ says we should not let our reactions show. It will stop eventually, just like the children did."

Jim shakes his head. "This isn't that." he insists. "Something is wrong with Kodos." At six years old, their bond is strong enough now that they no longer need to touch. Spock can sense Jim's growing unease, and it only fuels his own. Jim glances at him. "You know I'm right."

That just makes his brother sigh. "I know." he admits. "What can we do about it? We're children like the rest."

"Travis has started packing food away." Jim says. "He's sharing it with the younger ones."

Spock blinks. "There are children with no food?"

"Yeah. Not just here, either. Travis has ears in the colony. There are other families with small children and no food. The kids are sick."

That makes Spock frown. "Eugenics."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. _Ko-mekh_ said it last time she came. She said Kodos was into eugenics. _A'nirih _told her not to talk about that in front of us." Spock shrugs. "It could be nothing."

Jim shakes his head. "It's not nothing." he says. "Tomorrow won't be any different. We'll still be hungry."

For a long moment, they sit there, watching the sun set and the workers come in for the day. Spock is the one to break the silence. "It is illegal." he says mildly.

Jim snorts. "Criminal or dead. Take your pick."

"Well, when you put it _that_ way, I'll take criminal."

/-/

At first, they don't steal much, only enough for themselves for a few days. Then the orphanage is cut out entirely, and they start stealing food in much larger quantities. There is no longer an adult running the orphanage – instead Travis, a fifteen year old boy whose parents are currently on Earth, has been taking care of the kids. He uses Spock and Jim to provide for the others. The brothers use their small bodies to their advantage, getting in and out of places no one else could.

It doesn't take long for them to find the knife-edge of starvation and stay there.

Travis gets word that the grain is infected – the food shortage has affected even the adults, even Kodos. Before people were starving. Now they are dying.

Spock and Jim have seen death. They watched an entire ship full of people cease to exist. They understand all too well what Travis explains to the children. Travis pauses in his explanation, sighing softly as he examines the children.

"If we want to survive," he says quietly, "we're gonna have to fight dirty."

At first, no one really knows what he means, not even Spock and Jim. After all, they're just children, even if they are orphans. No one will pay much attention to them.

The next day, Travis is killed bringing food back to the orphans.

/-/

Pike is mildly surprised when he gets a private call from Vulcan. He patches it through to his PADD. "Pike."

"_Captain, I request your assistance."_

He almost stumbles over his feet. "Hold on, Serek. Let me get somewhere more private." He puts the call on hold and heads into the nearest ready room. There is a couple currently making use of it – he clears them out with a look. As soon as he is alone, he locks the door and turns back to the call. "Okay. What's going on?"

Serek is as tense as Pike has ever seen them. _"Three months ago, Tarsus IV stopped accepting diplomatic visits."_ he explains. _"I need to know what is happening there."_

Pike shakes his head. "This happened three months ago, and you're just now starting to harass me?"

"_I have been attempting to negotiate with Starfleet concerning the issue."_

"Starfleet stonewalling you?"

"_It appears so. Apparently, it is not considered criminal to cut off diplomatic access to a colony when a new governor has taken his place."_ Serek pinches the bridge of his nose. It's a rare display of frustration that probably only Amanda has seen before. _"There is nothing to indicate that Kodos has done anything wrong, but – "_

"But he has your kids." Pike says quietly. "I understand, Serek. You want me to go check on Spock and Jim, because a Starfleet vessel has the right to land wherever it wants no matter what."

"_Exactly."_

Pike nods. "It will take a few weeks to get there."

"_Do you have a more precise time?"_

That almost makes Pike laugh. "Fifteen days, maybe fourteen if we push the warp, which we really can't without having to explain to brass why. Unless you want me to tell them a friend called in a favor." He's teasing now, and Serek rewards him with a twitch of the lips that might be a smile.

"_Thank you, Captain Pike."_

"Not a problem. You owe me, though." Pike smiles. "Hey, if the paperwork goes through anytime soon, let me know and I'll pick the boys up for you. They shouldn't spend any longer than they have to on planet."

A few more pleasantries, and Pike ends the call. He gets back to the bridge and turns his attention to Number One. "I need a favor." She nods. "Look up everything you can on Kodos and Tarsus IV. Something might be going down, and I want to know what before I drop us into a hornets' nest."

Number One nods. "Of course, Captain." She turns to the helmsman and orders the necessary course change.


	6. Chapter 6

**ch 6**

The night is ablaze with fires.

Once the crop starts to fail, food ceases to be a weapon. It becomes a precious commodity, worth killing over. Every night, people leave their homes. Every morning, when they return, there are fewer people in Tarsus IV. Kodos approves this method. He encourages the people to fight for their food, to eliminate those they believe unworthy of it so there is more for them.

The orphans are the first to die.

Somehow, Spock and Jim survive the slaughter. The night Travis does not return is the night the colonists set fire to the orphanage. They barricade the doors and set fire to the dry wooden walls. The children beat on the walls and cry out, begging for someone outside to save them. Jim grabs Spock's wrist, and the boys head for the stairs. They yell for the others to follow, but their voices are lost in the roaring flames. The smoke scorches their lungs, but they make it up the stairs.

They survive by jumping out of a second-story window and racing for the shadows. Five other children die in the blaze.

Now they hide again, on the second night of slaughter. It is no longer safe to walk around and sneak food like they used to. They can no longer trust the kindness of the adults. Even the ones that used to help are too afraid of the others. So they hide in a small hollow beneath an elderly couple's porch (they starved to death in the first few days) and cling to each other as the adults race by.

Spock is bleeding. Jim's clothes are stained with dirt and green blood, and his hands shake as he tries to apply pressure to the wound. They've always been smart for their age, smart for any age, but they're still children. No one teaches the young first aid. They are taught to find an adult, and now Jim finds himself working from memory, trying to recall how Amanda bandaged his scraped knee a few visits ago.

His brother looks up at him, careful mask slipping just a bit. _It hurts_. he says. Jim nods.

_I know._ He bites his lip, trying to think. _Here, let me try something. _A'nirih_ used a mind-meld to help me breathe. Maybe I can make it stop hurting._ Spock nods, and Jim reaches up and touches his face, moving his fingers to Spock's meld points.

Serek once expressed concern that Jim would have difficulty with a mind-meld, and he does when he's trying to connect with Serek. Finding Spock's mind is second nature. Knowing what to do after that is something entirely different. He doesn't know how to reach out to the nerves that relay pain and calm them. However, the melds are still new to them, and the novelty is enough of a distraction that Spock can forget about the pain.

After a few moments, Jim pulls back. The melds are exhausting for now, but they bring a stronger sense of his brother, and he likes them. He smiles at Spock. _Okay now?_

_Yes._ Spock leans back, taking the pressure off the cut in his side. _Where are _A'nirih _and_ Ko-mekh_? They should be here. They should come._ He can't keep the fear from his voice. Jim reaches out and takes his hand.

_I don't know._ he whispers. _But it'll be okay. Even if they don't come, we'll be okay. We got each other, right?_

_Right._

Outside, chaos and bloodshed reign.

/-/

They leave their shelter long enough to steal food. Or rather, Jim leaves – Spock's wound has gotten infected, and he can no longer walk quickly. Running is definitely out of the picture. Jim is not fairing much better. He feels like he is constantly on the verge of losing the ability to breathe. Spock is unable to relieve him of his symptoms. Serek's visits were stopped before he could teach them much more than how to connect to each other.

Jim leaves to find food, and he always returns to the same porch. After the fourth day of this, they are discovered.

The two men used to be security for Kodos. It's clear they're on their own now, with no loyalty to hold their natural urges in check. One of them – a tall, burly man with red hair – grabs Jim before he can make it across the yard.

"Hey, check this out." he drawls. "Looks like we found one of those damn orphans. Where's your friend, kid?" He shakes Jim a little.

Jim just glares at him. "Dead." he says flatly. "I'm the only one left." It's a struggle to speak, let alone breathe, but he manages it without sounding too bad. The redhead grins.

"I don't think I believe you." he says. "Andy, check the porch. They're small enough to get under there."

Jim's heart jumps. "NO!" he screams, struggling against the bigger man. "No!"

The redhead backhands him across the face. Jim feels the skin split, fresh blood running down his cheek into his mouth. It tastes like copper. A strong kick lands on his ribs, and he feels at least one give under the pressure. He can't stop a grunt of pain from escaping him.

"Leave him alone." Andy snaps. "He's just a kid. They don't eat that much."

"Whatever." the redhead growls. "I catch you again, I'll kill ya, half-breed." With that they both leave, moving on to bigger and better things. Jim lays there for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

Small, shaking hands touch his shoulders. _Jim?_ Spock asks, gently pulling at him. _We need to leave, we have to go. Come on._ Jim allows himself to be pulled to his feet. Together, they stumble back to their hideout. Jim pulls his knees to his chest, breathing hard.

_They took the food._

_They almost took you._ Spock retorts. _We'll live without the food. We have before._

_You need it._ Jim protests. Spock grips his shoulders hard, making his brother look up at him. He's sweating, hair plastered to his forehead as his body fights off the infection, but he smiles nonetheless. Jim ducks his head. _You need it._

_We need help we're not going to get._ Spock clarifies. _You know it as well as I do. We are going to die here if someone does not come._

Jim shakes his head. _No. That won't happen._

_You know it will._

_It won't._ Jim glares up at him. _We're not gonna die. That's just stupid, Spock._

Spock nods. "In that case," he says, voice quiet and shaking with pain, "we need to leave here. They'll be back tonight."

"I know."

/-/

Pike stares at the information he's been given. He feels like he can barely breathe. "Are you sure this is accurate?" he demands. Number One just nods. Pike stares at the PADD. It displays Kodos' dissertation from his University days, buried long ago by his professors who could already see the direction their student was headed. The title is downright terrifying.

_The Application of Eugenics Using Colonists to Promote Survival of the Fittest._

"Does Starfleet know about this?" His voice shakes just a little.

"No sir." Number One says. "I had to go directly to his University professors to find that, and even then, they didn't give it to me willingly."

He sets down the PADD with shaking hands. "Helmsman, maximum warp. Give me a new ETA on our arrival to Tarsus IV."

"Aye, Captain." the helmsman says. "Maximum warp. New ETA – 2 days. We'll be almost out of fuel by that point, sir."

"Never mind that." Pike says. "Just keep our course. I'll take care of the fuel problems." He turns his attention to his communications officer. "Get me a private line to Vulcan and Starfleet. I need to speak with Ambassador Serek and any Admiral you can get to answer – as high up as you can go." The woman nods and returns to the console.

"What are you going to do?" Number One asks quietly.

"First I'm going to find out if I'm right." Pike says softly. "And if I am, I'm going to rain hell down on Kodos' head. After I get Spock and Jim off that planet."


	7. Chapter 7

**ch 7**

By the time Pike makes it to Tarsus IV, he has Starfleet's approval to do whatever it takes to bring order back to the colony. Any orphans he finds are to be transported to the nearest starbase for immediate relocation. It only took five minutes to make Admiral Davidson see the gravity of the situation. After that he has every resource he might need at his disposal.

When Davidson ends the conference call, Serek speaks up. _ "The papers have been signed, Captain. The adoption is official."_

Pike nods. "Then I'm getting those boys off that rock and bringing them home." he says. "12 is the closes starbase to Tarsus IV. Meet us there. I'm going to have to stop for refuel anyway."

Serek sighs. _"Thank you, Chris."_

"Thank me when you see your boys."

As it turns out, the warning is valid. Pike beams down with a small team to find Tarsus IV in flames. The orphanage is nothing but a pile of cold ash. He can see evidence of small bones in the rubble, and bile rises in his throat.

Beside him, an ensign flinches. "Captain, what will happen if Spock and Jim are already dead?" he asks quietly, and Pike shakes his head. He has heard stories of Vulcans who lose their children in violent situations like this. The end result of those stories has never been pretty, but he also doesn't know if they're true. What will Serek and Amanda do if their boys have been killed in this madness? He doesn't know.

"Let's hope we don't have to find out." he tells the ensign. "Spread out. Let's see if we can enforce some order here." The security team nods and fans out, searching through the burned buildings for survivors.

Pike doesn't like his odds. Most of the colony has been destroyed. There are only a few residential buildings still standing, and the governor's house. He picks out three security men and has them follow him to find Kodos.

At the very least, Kodos can tell him what happened to Serek's boys.

/-/

The governor's house is big and elaborate, even for a poor colony like Tarsus IV. The guards drop Spock and Jim on the floor, along with a woman and her child. Kodos sits on his chair in front of them, like a king on his throne. He smiles down at them. It's not a good kind of smile. "You four have been found guilty of theft." he says calmly. "Being undesirables anyway, the possession of any kind of food is considered a crime punishable by death."

"My child is not _undesirable._" the woman says. "Look at her! She's starving! How can you be so cruel?"

Kodos leans forward. "Easy, my dear." he says. "This is my colony, and I can do what I want. No one is going to stop me."

One of the guards approaches him. "Starfleet officers have been spotted." he whispers. Spock hears him and relays the words to Jim. "Looks like Captain Pike's crew is on their way."

Kodos snarls a curse. "Damn it. Guess we'll just have to hurry up then, won't we?" He stands up from his chair and approaches the woman.

Whatever he says to her is lost to the boys. _Captain Pike is here?_ Jim can hardly believe it. _I didn't think he'd come._

Spock can barely hide a smile. _That means _A'nirih _is not far behind._ His voice is weak, even in Jim's mind, and it frightens him. The infection hasn't gotten any better. Spock's eyes are half-closed as he slumps on the floor against Jim's side, and his skin burns with fever. He's almost too hot to touch. Jim isn't faring much better. His broken ribs brush against his lungs with every wrong move, and more than once he has lost his ability to breathe. Help is exactly what they need right now.

Jim forces a smile. _Told you everything would be okay._

There is the sound of phaser fire, and the little girl starts to scream. Her mother falls to the ground dead, a neat hole burned in her forehead. Jim's stomach twists.

Kodos turns his attention to the girl, phaser at the ready. He aims, and Jim acts before he can fire. He grabs a small fragment of rock – a pebble, really – and throws it at Kodos. It smacks against his hand and falls to the ground. It shouldn't be enough to distract him, but the governor feels invincible, and it shows. He turns away from the girl and focuses instead on Jim.

"The little half-breeds. You have no idea how much trouble you've caused me." He presses the phaser against Jim's temple. A low whine escapes Spock. Kodos doesn't spare him a look. He keeps his focus on Jim. "You think you deserve to live? You're not even pure _anything_. You're nothing but scum, and scum does not deserve to live. Remember that."

Jim wraps his arm around Spock's shoulders, holding the other boy close. He lifts his chin, the phaser digging into his temple. His voice shakes, but his words are fierce.

"Rot in hell." And he spits in Kodos' face.

"I second that."

Pike is suddenly standing beside the boys, fire in his eyes and his phaser pointed square at Kodos' chest. Kodos sneers. "Captain Christopher Pike. Will wonders never cease. I guess you're here to save the half-breed scum."

"Those _half-breeds_ happen to belong to a good friend of mine." Pike says, his voice calm and even. It's a sharp contrast to the anger written in his face. "And as funny as it would be to watch Serek rip your heart out, I'd rather give him his kids back in one piece. So you have two options – you can kill Jim and I'll kill you, or you can back down and I'll take you into custody. What's your choice?"

Kodos only takes a moment to gauge Pike's sincerity. He lowers his phaser. Pike motions for his security team to arrest him. Kodos taken care of, Pike turns to the boys. What he sees has his stomach twisting into knots. Spock looks to be alive only by sheer willpower. Jim isn't fairing much better. Exhaustion is written into every line of his face. Pike offers them what he hopes is a comforting smile. "It's over, boys." he says softly. "I'm taking you home now." He reaches for his communicator. "Pike to Boyd. Prepare medbay – looks like we've got some serious injuries coming aboard."

One of the security officers approaches the boys. He reaches out to take Spock, but Jim jerks back and growls at him. The officer stops short. Jim calmly pulls Spock to his feet, then drapes the Vulcan child over his shoulders across his back. He grips Spock's arms tightly and turns his focus to Pike.

"Lead the way." he says calmly.

Pike nods. "Let me know if he gets too heavy." he says. "Dropping him won't help him out at all."

Jim looks like he might protest that, but nods instead. They go slowly, walking through the colony the boys have called home for almost two years. Jim lifts his chin, keeping his head high even as he carries his brother through the carnage. The little girl who just lost her mother follows them for a short distance before allowing a security officer to carry her.

After they beam back to the ship, Jim starts to relax. "Is it really over?" he asks.

Pike nods. "Yeah, kid." he says. "You're safe now. You both are."

"Okay." He allows Boyd to take Spock from him, and suddenly passes out. Pike catches him before he can hit the ground.

Boyd sighs. "Bring him along. He may be injured too."


	8. Chapter 8

**ch 8**

"_So, what you're telling me is that Kodos decided to use Tarsus IV to create his own superior humans through selective breeding?"_ The admiral sounds pissed. Pike stands calmly at attention, staring at the view screen with a carefully blank expression. He hates conference calls, especially with this particular admiral. The other screen shows Serek, listening intently as Pike debriefs them of the situation.

"That sounds about right." Pike says. "Things got beyond Kodos' control though when the grain got infected. Suddenly he no longer had a way to feed his upper class, so instead of careful eugenics, he went to plan B and let the colonists fight it out."

The admiral sighs. _"Well, damn. What's the damage?"_

"Out of the original 8000 colonist, 4000 are dead." Pike says. "There is another estimated 1500 that may die due to complications – infections, starvation, things of the like. The crop is completely ruined. If we hadn't arrived when we did, the casualties would have been much higher."

"_What about Kodos?"_

"I have him in custody, Admiral." he assures the other man. "Kodos is in my brig, where he will stay under 24-hour surveillance until we arrive at Starbase 12."

"_Good. And the orphans you picked up? How are they?"_

At this, Serek straightens almost imperceptibly. Pike hides a smile. "There were only three, and two of them have been adopted." he says. "The little girl we picked up on Tarsus IV is healthy enough, all things considered. She watched her mother murdered, so obviously there's some emotional trauma there. Boyce is helping her cope with it, and I believe she's doing well. Her mother has family on Earth that has been contacted. They will arrive at 12 in a few weeks, I imagine."

Serek cannot maintain his silence. _"And the boys?"_ he asks.

Pike sighs. "I wish I had better news, Ambassador." he says quietly. "They're alive, and that's about all that can be said for them. Spock is fighting off a massive infection on top of dehydration and malnourishment, and Jim isn't in any better shape – he has three broken ribs to add on to his list of random bruises, cuts, and fractures." He sighs. "Honestly, mostly they sleep. They're healing, but that's all we know right now." Serek nods.

"_I understand."_ He pauses. _"Has Spock not used the healing trance?"_

"Honestly, I don't think he can." Pike says. "He sleeps when Jim sleeps, and that's not very often. They're still in survival mode, so to speak."

The admiral shakes his head. _"Well, the medical facilities at 12 are top-notch, so the boys will be well taken care of, Ambassador. Kodos, however, cannot stay there. It's not that kind of facility."_

"I've made arrangements for Captain Riley to take Kodos back to Earth to stand trial." Pike says mildly. "He should have already arrived."

"_I can confirm that, Admiral."_ Serek says. _"Amanda and I arrived at the base yesterday."_

The admiral scowls. _"Why are you on Starbase 12?"_

"_Because we are the ones who adopted Spock and Jim."_

There's a long pause, followed by a healthy amount of cursing from the admiral. Pike just grins. "I don't think the admiral approves." he tells Serek. The Vulcan simply nods.

"_His approval is irrelevant. The Federation approved the adoption. Spock and Jim are mine. When they are medically cleared, Amanda and I will take them home to Vulcan."_

"I'm sure they'll be looking forward to it." Pike says. "In fact, when we get done here, I'll inform them of their change in status. Maybe that will help them relax long enough to actually get some healing done." Serek nods.

Pike hopes the offer reassures Serek in some way. Right now, it's all the reassurance he can offer.

/-/

Inside the medbay, Boyce is putting up quite a fuss. "I can't get the kid to stay put!" he snaps. "He has to stay in his own bed, otherwise it throws off all the readings, but every time I turn around, he's back with Spock!"

The other doctor smiles faintly. "Will you let me help?" he asks. "I've seen this kind of situation before. I know how to handle it."

Boyce sighs and shakes his head. "Go for it. I've got other patients to take care of." With that he turns and walks away. The other doctor watches him go before turning his attention back to the boys. He smiles at them.

"Hey. My name is Ian McCoy; I'm a relief medical officer for Starfleet. I'm gonna take care of you two, okay?" He keeps his voice low and gentle. Spock and Jim exchange looks. Jim is still curled up on Spock's bio-bed, arms wrapped tightly around the Vulcan's shoulders.

Moving slowly, letting the boys see everything he's about to do, Ian takes Jim's bio-bed and shoves it so it's touching the side of Spock's. He makes a show of dusting his hands off. "There you go. See, Jim, you have to stay in a separate bed, so Dr. Boyce knows how Spock is doing, but this way you can keep touching him. You'll know instantly if anything happens, see?"

Slowly, Jim moves back to his own bed. Spock whimpers, reaching out for the other boy, and Jim quickly catches his hand. A small smile appears on his face. He says something in Vulcan, which doesn't seem to please Spock but does calm him down. Slowly, Spock closes his eyes. Jim sits there, gripping Spock's hand tightly and watching him sleep. Ian tilts his head to the side, curious.

"Aren't you going to sleep? You need it."

Jim shakes his head. "I can't." he says. "I gotta keep watch."

Ian nods. "You did that a lot for Spock, didn't you?" he asks quietly. Jim nods. Ian pulls up a chair and sits down. "How about this – I'll keep watch for a while."

Jim eyes him. "I don't trust you." he says flatly.

"Then consider this a trial run. Sleep for a few hours. I'll wake you up, and you'll see you have nothing to worry about with me, okay?" At Jim's look, he continues. "I have a son too, you know. He's a few years older than the two of you, and I love him very much. I'll take care of you just like I take care of my son."

After a moment's hesitation, Jim replies. "Can you be more specific? A 'few hours' doesn't tell me anything."

Ian laughs. "Two hours, thirty minutes."

"Ninety minutes." Jim immediately comes back.

Ian grins. "You do drive a hard bargain. Alright, ninety minutes. Then I'll wake you up, and you can see for yourself that everything is okay." Slowly, Jim nods and stretches out on the bed, his hand firmly wrapped around Spock's wrist. He closes his eyes and falls asleep fast, letting exhaustion carry him away. Ian smiles to himself and leans back in his chair.

Pike smiles when he sees the boys. "Well, at least they're both sleeping, but Boyce is gonna kill you for rearranging his medbay." he teases lightly, keeping his voice down. Ian rolls his eyes.

"Boyce can deal." he says. "I'm surprised he's made it this far as a medic with as rigid as that man is." He motions towards the boys. "They need to touch; they won't heal otherwise. Therefore, this is the best way to do it. Boyce gets his readings, they get to touch. It's that simple."

Pike nods. "I wonder how well they'll handle being on Vulcan."

Ian blinks. "Say that again?"

"You didn't know? Serek has adopted them. As soon as they've healed, he'll be taking them to Vulcan. Home, I guess." Pike shrugs. "I used to think that would be best for Spock, but not Jim. Now I wonder at the wisdom of taking them both somewhere where emotions are considered taboo."

"It may be exactly what they need." Ian muses. "I mean, they won't be expected to talk about what happened, or to discuss how they feel. They'll be allowed to process it at their own pace. No one will keep bringing it back up by asking about it. Once the nightmares go away, they'll stay away." He looks up at Pike. "No triggers in a place like that, right?"

"Never thought of it that way." Pike motions for him to stand up. "Wanna go to the mess? You've got to be hungry."

"In ninety minutes." Ian says with a half-smile. "I told Jim I'd take first watch."

"He's asleep now."

"And if he wakes up?" Ian shakes his head. "Captain, there is one thing I have learned since helping Leonard through the divorce. If you tell a frightened child that you will be there when they wake up, you damn well better be there."

"Guess you're right." Pike admits. "In that case – " He grabs a chair and sits down next to Ian. "We'll be at 12 tomorrow. Will they be ready for transport?"

"Not by beaming." Ian says. "They'll have to be taken with stretchers. Spock still needs the IV antibiotics, and Jim is allergic to the strangest things. Including, apparently, antihistamines."

"Damn." Pike rubs his forehead. "It's not going to be easy for these kids, is it?"

"No. It will not."


	9. Chapter 9

**ch 9**

Serek and Amanda watch as the medical team rolls out two tiny stretchers. Amanda grips Serek's wrist tightly, her eyes wide and full of tears, and Serek cannot fault her for the display. He sees the children he has claimed as his sons hurt and beyond his help, and it infuriates him as nothing has before. Through their contact, Amanda can sense his fury as easily as he can feel her anguish. They share that feeling of helplessness.

"We left them there." she whispers. Serek can only nod. "What if they don't trust us anymore?"

He can't answer that. Unfortunately, such fears are not entirely illogical, no matter how improbable. Children are resilient creatures, but they are not unbreakable. It is entirely feasible that this chapter in their lives has broken them.

Spock sleeps calmly on his portable bio-bed. Jim sits up on his, watching everyone walk by with a scowl on his face. One hand grips Spock's wrist tightly. The doctor next to him – Serek recognizes him as Ian McCoy – leans down and says something to Jim that makes his attention snap over to Serek and Amanda. Serek stiffens despite his controls.

In truth, he is just as frightened as his wife.

Despite managing to maintain a reasonable façade of calm, Jim's face _brightens_ in a way Serek cannot describe. "_A'nirih!"_ he calls out, raising his free hand to wave at them. "_Ko-mekh!_" Amanda lets go of his wrist and flies to her children, and Serek follows at a slightly more sedate pace. Jim's cry stirs Spock from his sleep, and the young Vulcan's eyes widen as he takes in Amanda and Serek approaching the portable bio-beds.

Not for the first time, Amanda is grateful for Serek's influence. Thanks to him and Pike, there are no reporters around waiting to gawk at the children who survived the Tarsus IV massacre. The path is peaceful as they walk the halls of Starbase 12 to the medical facilities, Amanda and Serek on either side of the beds. Amanda grips Spock's hand tightly; Serek keeps one hand on Jim's shoulder. The boys remain linked through their own hands.

Ian smiles as he watches the four of them. "I'm taking it you're the ones who adopted these two?" he asks.

Amanda grins. "Yes, we are."

"Good. I know they'll be well taken care of, then. I've grown rather fond of them."

"As have we." Amanda says, watching as Spock and Jim interact. No words are said between the two, but she knows they're talking all the same. Skin on skin contact gives her some insight into the young one's mind, and it is alive with Jim. She suspects Serek can sense the same with Jim. A brief glance at her husband confirms it.

They wait until Ian is setting the boys up in a private room before speaking of it. "They're bond is stronger, isn't it?" she asks. Serek nods.

"It is different." he admits. "A healer would need to be consulted to be certain, but I believe they have been making use of the mind-meld to strengthen their connection."

"Is that bad?"

"Not precisely. Just different. A bond is like a thread. An accomplished healer can break and mend that thread, and it will stay the same." Amanda nods understanding. She can sense her own thread, a connection to Serek that glows brightly in her mind, and he sends her the impression of a smile before continuing. "Whoever attempted to break their bond was no healer. They frayed the thread. Their attempts to correct the problem themselves have turned what should be a single connection into a net."

She thinks she understands. Something like a bond is a difficult thing to explain. "They're connected on so many levels it would be impossible to break it, even if they wanted to."

"Precisely. Although considering what they have done, I doubt they will ever think to question it. This is how it should be." Serek reaches out and links two of his fingers with hers. "I find it unfortunate that we will have to curb their displays when we arrive home."

She nods. "Well, it would be a good excuse to take that post at Starbase 1 they've been pushing at you." she points out. Serek lets out a huff that's almost a laugh.

"Indeed."

/-/

Slowly, the children heal.

Spock finally defeats his infection, although it takes long enough to be worrying. Jim's broken bones and stressed lungs heal. Ian finally finds a specialized antihistamine that Jim is _not_ allergic to and synthesizes enough of it for Serek to take back to Vulcan with them. He's also given the programming to use in his own medical replicators. There is simply no telling what Jim will prove allergic to when they arrive on Vulcan. Luckily, his allergies so far have been food-related, and those are easy enough to avoid.

The children are approximately seven years old by the time they are cleared from medical. By this stage of life, Serek would be looking for appropriate bondmates for them. He doubts that the nature of their bond will allow for another, and with Spock's half-human genetic makeup, he may not even enter Ponn Farr. Additionally, his tight bond with Jim may save him that humiliation.

However it may play out, he has far more pressing concerns than finding mates for his children.

They stay on Starbase 12 for a further two months after the children are released. During this time, certain behaviors appear that Serek cannot ignore. It does not escape his attention that Spock, no matter how little he shows it, is afraid of male strangers, or that, when stressed beyond his means to cope, will scratch his arm until it bleeds to maintain his controls. It does not escape his notice that Jim compulsively hoards food under his bed and shares it with Spock later, or that he eats as if expecting someone to take it from him at any given moment.

It makes him hate Kodos all the more, knowing he has left these small scars on his children that may never heal. It is an issue that requires much meditation before he finally comes to the conclusion that he will _always_ hate Kodos, and that is perfectly acceptable.

It isn't until three days before they are scheduled to return to Vulcan that the carefully maintained balance he has established comes crashing down.

"I will not allow it." he tells Admiral Nichols. "They have been through enough."

Nichols sighs and rubs his fingers over his forehead. "I understand that, and trust me – I don't want to do this either. But I have my orders, and I'm supposed to take statements from _all_ of the survivors. It's bad enough that makes 4000 people I need to talk to. That's 4000 traumatized people that I have to ask for recorded statements, so they don't have to suffer a trial."

Amanda shivers. "A trial?"

"Yes. So it's either they talk to me, or they talk to a whole bunch of people that won't be nearly as nice about it as I will be." He spreads his hands in an imploring guesture. "I don't want to hurt them, Ambassador. I'm just trying to do my job."

"I understand. I still do not wish my sons to talk to you."

"I will."

All three heads snap around. Silently, Amanda curses herself for forgetting to lock the door to Serek's office. Spock and Jim stand there, Jim slightly in front of Spock, staring at their parents. Jim speaks again. "If we don't tell what happened, then Kodos will get away with it, right?"

Nichols nods. "Unfortunately."

"Then I'll tell you everything. But _I'm_ the one who will talk. Not Spock. Understand?"

And that's how Jim winds up alone in an interview room with Nichols and a recording device, while Spock hovers outside, watching through the window. He digs his nails into his arm, body trembling, until green blood trickles through the broken skin.

Serek places his hand on the child's shoulder. "There is nothing to be gained by standing here." he says softly. Spock shakes his head.

"I should be in there." he says tonelessly. "But I cannot bring myself to cross the threshold. Instead, I'm leaving him alone."

"I assure you, Admiral Nichols will not harm Jim."

"That's what they told us about Kodos."

That stings, but it is true. Gently, he pries Spock's nails free of his arm. "Would you like me to show you a better way to calm yourself?" he asks.

Spock's eyes flicker from Serek to the window. "Will we have to leave?"

"No. We can stay right here."

So while Jim describes in sickening detail everything that he and Spock survived on Tarsus IV, Serek sits down in the hallway and teaches Spock how to meditate. And as Spock finally finds his inner calm, he unconsciously lends it to Jim.

That night, Serek and Amanda watch as the children sleep, curled up into each other on the same bed. Amanda leans against Serek's shoulder. _Do you think they'll be okay on Vulcan?_ she asks through their bond. Serek shrugs his unoccupied shoulder.

_I do not know._ he admits. He presses a human kiss to her temple, an indulgence he allows when they are alone. _If they are not, we will find a place where they will be._

Amanda nods. _Thank you._


	10. Chapter 10

AN: In case I don't catch you before then, Merry Christmas everybody!

**ch 10**

Vulcan, as it turns out, is something like Tarsus IV.

It has nothing to do with the people there. It's the weather. Tarsus IV was very much a desert planet, and so is Vulcan. It's hotter than Tarsus IV, but not intolerably so. The boys adapt to their new planet easily enough. Within a few weeks, Serek feels they are comfortable enough to introduce them to T'Pau and begin their education. Most Vulcan children are already well ahead of them, but he knows they can catch up quickly.

Spock and Jim may acclimate to Vulcan quickly, but Vulcan does not return the favor so easily.

T'Pau looks over the children. She sits at his table and watches as Amanda plays with the children in the living room. The game is a simple one, but Spock and Jim give it their undivided attention. T'Pau frowns. "You brought a human here, Serek." she says. "Again. Why must you make things so difficult for yourself?"

Serek merely looks back at her. "I have found no difficulties with Amanda, and I doubt Jim will add any. He is Spock's brother."

The Vulcan woman arches an eyebrow. "That is illogical."

"It is true." Serek counters. "It would be more illogical to separate them."

"You would have the schools give him special treatment."

"No. I would have them treat him the same as Spock, or any other Vulcan child. That is what he is." Serek resists the urge to rub his forehead. As stubborn as humans can be, they have nothing on Vulcans, especially T'Pau. "They are half-human, half-Vulcan. That is how they see themselves, and that is how we will treat them."

"Jim is human. Spock, however, is a half-breed. Regardless, they are not –"

"Do not finish that sentence, T'Pau." There is a wealth of warning in the otherwise bland words. "I do not care what you say outside my home, but inside you _will_ respect my family."

"You have an interesting way of choosing your relatives."

"Regardless, they are my choice."

T'Pau huffs. "Fine. If you are so insistent on carrying out this, then we must discuss the logistics. Spock is of the proper age to find a mate. Have you considered T'Pring?"

"No. I have not considered anyone."

"Explain."

"I told you already – Spock and Jim are brothers. A bond such as theirs will not take to a third party." Serek points out. "Spontaneous bonds are rare. Theirs should be treated with the respect it deserves." T'Pau turns her dark eyes on him, but does not respond. Serek's gaze slides past her to the children. By now they have taken notice of the new woman, and Spock repositions himself to shelter Jim from her gaze.

"You should have attempted to dissolve it." T'Pau says finally.

"I will not condone such a thing." Serek says.

"No, you will not. Even though it is the proper thing – the _logical_ thing – to do, you will allow a child who is already at a disadvantage to further cripple himself by being bonded to a human. You dishonor your clan, Serek." T'Pau says coldly. That only earns her a look.

"There is still the matter of their schooling." he says. "I have attempted to teach them while the adoption was finalized, but the events on Tarsus IV have put them behind."

"Will they catch up with their peers?"

"Yes."

"Then they will start tomorrow."

/-/

Serek's house, as it turns out, is probably the only truly safe place on the planet.

Or at least, after a full year of schooling, that's what Spock is beginning to believe. From T'Pau's reaction when they were first introduced, he and Jim knew they would have to fight for acceptance. They imagined a scenario similar to Tarsus IV – becoming friends with a select few, avoiding the others, staying out of trouble and unnoticed. They were wrong.

There are a few children they have become friends with – if one can call T'Pring and Stonn friends. They are simply children who are more tolerant than the others, and Jim suspects this is only because T'Pring's parents want her to bond with Spock, and Stonn wants to see the competition. Spock is less inclined to believe even that much.

Fact is, Spock and Jim are _smart._ Even on a planet well-known for intelligence, they are frighteningly so. They have been promoted classes once during their year, and there is talk of promoting them again. The boys are not supposed to know about it, but that is yet another thing that sets them apart from the other children.

Criminals or dead. The decision had to be made on Tarsus IV. Obey the rules and die, or become criminals for the sake of survival. It is not quite as bad here. Spock and Jim do not fear starvation, or being beaten to death, or any number of things that might have happened to them on that other desert planet, but the principle is still the same. They can obey the rules and accept the handicap, or they can create their own rules and gain an advantage. The decision this time is not a conscious one, but it is an easy one.

At nine years old, they already have a reputation for causing trouble. Once, after an incident that involved Jim breaking a child's nose for attempting to harm Spock, a teacher tried to correct such emotive behavior the typical way. For Vulcans, it is not uncommon for an unusually emotional child to be subjected to a healer's mind-touch to help strengthen controls. No harm comes to the child, and the experience is completely normal.

However, Vulcan children do not have the added memory of another woman attempting to use a mind-touch to break a treasured bond. The teacher called Jim into her office, but the instant she touched his mind, he lashed out. He might have caused some damage, but then Spock entered the room.

He's the one who caused the real damage, and no one has attempted such a technique since. Instead, they summon either Amanda or Serek.

Today, it's Serek. Spock and Jim sit on the ground outside of the teacher's office, backs straight and gaze fixed on the window. They are close enough that their shoulders touch. The contact provides some comfort. Jim sighs almost imperceptibly. _What did we do this time?_

_I do not know. I thought our behavior has been satisfactory. _

A'nirih _is gonna be mad at us, isn't he?_

_It would be illogical to be angry when there is no cause for it._ Still, Spock is not certain, and neither is Jim. Not knowing the cause of this visit, they cannot determine Serek's reaction. Spock starts to say something else, but voices from down the hall distract them.

"It is the same boy?"

"Of course it is. There is only one source for half-breed children." The first voice is unrecognizable, but the second is clearly T'Maire. Spock tenses, his hand automatically coming to rest on Jim's, gripping him tight. T'Maire is an older woman, one of the advisors who work with the exceptionally gifted children. She works with Spock and Jim, but they have always known she doesn't like them.

The second woman speaks again. "But how? We took care of him. Not even T'Pau knows."

"I do not know. T'Lana must have failed."

The conversation moves away. Spock and Jim exchange looks. _What was that?_ Jim asks.

Spock shakes his head. _I do not know._

Serek finds them in the hallway. He falls into a crouch in front of them. "Your instructors tell me you are no longer being challenged by your classes." he says. The children learned a long time ago to detect the hints of emotion in Serek's voice, and they know he regards them with pride. "It is time for you to be promoted again." He straightens and motions for them to stand. Together the three of them leave the school.

The entire time, Spock keeps Jim close to his side. There is no doubt in his mind T'Maire was speaking of him, and he doesn't know what to make of that.

He'll just keep his brother close.


	11. Chapter 11

**ch 11**

The first time everything almost falls apart, the boys have been living on Vulcan for three years. By this time, T'Pau has accepted them with the same grudging respect that she holds for Amanda, Stonn and T'Pring are definitely their friends (even if they won't use that term), and Spock and Jim are three levels ahead of their age group and finally being sufficiently challenged. It appears they will finally begin advancing through the levels at the normal rate. Serek and Amanda are pleased and proud.

During this time, Jim's hidden telepathic powers have grown. There is a chance that, had he stayed on Earth or among humans, he would never have known his potential, but on a planet full of touch-telepaths, he has developed the same ability. He can perform shallow melds now, although his greatest talent still lies with Spock. Their bond is _strong_, amazingly so, and Serek has his suspicions about that. He wonders about the children who call themselves brothers.

Vulcan has a better word for their relationship, but he'll keep that to himself. Soon, they will learn that _brother_ is simply not enough.

There have been hints of unease among the brothers that Serek and Amanda have noticed – bruises and cuts, sore muscles and a definite distaste towards their peers. It isn't until they turn 12 that Serek knows the seriousness behind the wounds.

The boys walk into the house. Serek is in his study preparing for a vid-conference, and Amanda is out back in her garden. She's probably the only woman stubborn enough to make roses grow in a desert. They both can hear the boys walk inside. Amanda calls out a greeting to them, and Serek does the same, as has been the tradition since they started attending classes. Something hits the ground, and Spock makes a keening sound. Alarm washes through Serek from Amanda, and instantly he's on his feet and moving.

Human mothering instincts are never wrong.

The two of them enter the greeting quarters at the same time. Jim is on the ground, eyes closed, breathing harsh and ragged, and Spock is wrapped around him, keeping him upright. Spock's eyes are closed, his face buried in Jim's neck, and he rocks back and forth ever so gently. The sight is so unusual (they adapted quickly to not physically expressing their affection for each other) that it takes Serek a moment to realize what is actually wrong.

Spock is in pain, and Jim is bleeding. There are dark stains on his robe, and now he can see the red and green on Spock's hands. Serek kneels in front of them, careful not to reach out. "What happened?" he asks quietly. Spock's shoulders tremble, and he makes that keening noise again. Whatever has occurred has broken his controls. The child has no defense against whatever emotions are assaulting him. Slowly, he touches Spock's shoulder. "Spock. What happened?"

That elicits a response. "They hurt him."

"Who?"

"The others in our level. They hurt him because it's easier than hurting me." One hand falls from Jim, and he digs his nails into his thigh. Despite the raging emotions, his voice shows nothing of what he feels. Serek spares a moment to be proud of that.

"This has been happening since the beginning."

"Yes. Today was – excessive."

Today was a nightmare, if this aftermath is anything to go by. Jim finally stirs in Spock's arms, pushing back into him as much as he can. The motion is enough to prompt Spock to let go of his leg and wrap both arms around his brother again. "They made him watch." he says, voice harsh with pain. "They held him down, and made him watch." Something flickers in his gaze. "I got them back, though. I flattened one of them."

Amanda kneels beside Serek. "We need to get you cleaned up – and a healer, I think." she says quietly. "Spock, may I take him?"

Spock once again buries his face in Jim's neck. "No."

Amanda is unperturbed by this. "Then you will have to clean him. Take him to the washroom. I will call the healer." Slowly, Spock nods. Serek and Amanda back away, allowing Spock the room to stand up and pull Jim to his feet.

Pike described the sight of Jim carrying Spock on his back out of the slaughter of Tarsus IV. Serek imagines it was similar to what he sees now. Spock gently picks Jim up and places him on his back, gripping the other boy's arms tightly. A questioning look, and Jim nods. The two of them follow Amanda to the washroom.

Serek watches them go, eyes narrowed. He already knows going to the administration will be useless. With a small sigh, he returns to his study.

/-/

After a few minutes, Spock allows Amanda to help with cleaning Jim's wounds. Water is scarce on Vulcan, but every household keeps enough of it for medical purposes. This is the first time Amanda has ever had to use it. They sit on the edge of Jim's bed and clean what they can.

To her relief, Jim's injuries are not extensive. They may not need the healer after all. She wrings out the washcloth and gently dabs at Jim's back. "Does it hurt, _ashal-veh_?" she asks, grimacing at the marks. He has been kicked in the back hard enough to split the skin. Jim shakes his head.

"No, _Ko-mekh._" he says softly. "Not anymore."

Amanda stands up from the bed. "I need to call the healer. I'm sure she can stitch this up for us." With that she leaves the room. Spock's voice stops her in the hallway just outside the door.

"I'm sorry."

Jim snorts. "Why?" he demands. "It's not like you did this."

"You're my brother. I should have protected you."

She can just imagine Jim shaking his head at that one. "I was protecting _you_. It would have defeated the purpose if you had come in there and gotten yourself beat up."

There is a brief pause. "We should have told _A'nirih_ about it, before it got this bad."

"What could he have done? We're half-breeds, Spock, we have to prove ourselves to them. T'Pau made that clear from the beginning."

"_A'nirih _does not think so."

"Of course not. Neither does _Ko-mekh_, but they aren't the ones we go to class with."

Amanda pulls herself away from the door and heads into Serek's study. Unsurprisingly, her husband has already left the premises. She uses his computer to call a healer who lives a few houses down from them and happens to be fond of the boys. Thanks to her, they were able to determine all of Jim's allergies through blood analysis and not by trial-and-error. Task accomplished, she heads back to Jim's room.

Spock has taken up the cloth and has finished cleaning the tears. His hands shake, but not as badly as they were before. Amanda sits down next to them. "T'Espera is coming." she says. Spock nods.

"She is competent."

"She likes you." Amanda corrects with a small smile. "You know, some of them do. They aren't all out to get you."

"No." Spock agrees. "But only you and _A'nirih_ are out to protect us."

That breaks something inside Amanda. She feels the tears prick her eyes. "We haven't done a very good job of that, have we?" she says quietly. Jim looks up at her. Over the years, the boys have learned to be proper Vulcans, but they haven't given up their human sides. They show it when they're at home and safe. The reproach she sees in Jim's eyes warms her.

"We are still alive." he points out. "You have done an excellent job."

T'Espera is finishing up with Jim when Serek arrives at home. Amanda sits on the couch in the waiting room, staring blankly at the wall. Serek watches her for a moment. "You do your best impersonation of a Vulcan when you are well and truly irritated." he says dryly. Amanda favors him with a small smile.

"Vulcan children were hurting my sons, and I didn't know until they made them bleed." she says. "I'm far more than irritated."

"Yes, but there is no Vulcan translation for _pissed_."

"_Pissed as hell_, Serek." Amanda corrects, actually smiling this time. Serek favors her with an arched eyebrow as he sits down next to her on the couch. "One day, I will teach you enough Standard that you will learn how to cuss properly."

"I have no desire to do so." he reminds her. "I can cuss in Vulcan rather fluently, and no one else can understand me." He leans forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. "I have taken care of the problem."

"How? It's not like we can stop them from hurting our boys."

"True. But I can remove them from the situation." He glances over at her. "I have accepted the position on Starbase 1."

There is a moment of silence while Amanda digests that. "They'll be safe there?"

"Such violence will not be condoned on a Federation base as it is here." Serek assures her. "They will be safe."

Usually, Serek does not allow Amanda to hug him when they have guests. This time, he makes an exception.

/-/

AN: Up next – Starbase 1, and some more familiar faces! I'm not moving things along too fast, am I? You guys will let me know if I need to slow down, right?


	12. Chapter 12

AN: So I said there would be familiar faces in this chapter – I lied. Some things had to happen first. Sorry! Next chapter, I promise.

**ch 11**

Getting to Starbase 1 proves to be far more problematic than Serek anticipated. The position is still available to him, but accommodations must be made for his mate and children. Serek has to wait for such to become available. That will take at least two weeks. He stares at his blank computer screen for a moment before getting up and leaving his office.

Spock and Jim are still in their room (technically speaking, they have separate rooms, but they have only ever used the one). Jim is curled up in the pillows, sleeping soundly. His cuts have been healed, but his back is still badly bruised. Spock leans against the headboard, one hand resting on Jim's head near his meld points, a PADD held in the other. He looks up as Serek enters the room. "_A'nirih._"

Serek sits down on the foot of the bed. "Are you keeping track of his progress?" he asks, eyes dropping to Jim. Spock nods.

"T'Espera would not heal his bruises." he says. "She says we are too young for the regenerator to be used in such a way. He is still in pain."

Serek nods. "He will heal quickly." he assures his son. Spock nods, gaze dropping back to his PADD. Serek decides to tell him. "I am taking the position on Starbase 1. We will be leaving in two weeks. By then they will have made accommodations for the three of you."

That gets Spock's attention. His eyes snap to Serek's, the PADD forgotten. "What about our schooling?"

"The starbase is well-equipped to handle school-aged children. You will continue your education there." Serek says. "In the meantime, I have pulled both of you from classes. Amanda and I will teach you until it is time for us to leave."

All of the tension leaves Spock's body. His posture never changes, but he no longer looks ready to fend off an attack. "Thank you, _A'nirih_." he says quietly.

"You are welcome." Serek stands up. "When Jim wakes up, tell him." With that he leaves the room. There are many other arrangements to make.

Spock looks down at his brother, who is still asleep. T'Espera assured him that rest would be mandatory to finish the healing, but Spock still worries. He places his hand on Jim's meld-points and allows their bond to pull him in. Jim's mind meets him, sluggish still, but his annoyance at being unable to stay awake is clear. It eases Spock's worries. If his brother wants to be awake, then he is fine.

He is unsure how long he lingers there, hovering within the surface meld and co-existing with Jim's mind. After the events of the previous day, he needs the assurances that Jim is safe and healing. So he allows the indulgence.

/-/

"I believe you have lost all capacity for logic." T'Maire says flatly. "You are pulling the children from their classes with no due cause."

Serek sits across the desk from her, hands folded neatly in his lap. There is a brief flash of anger at those words. "No due cause?" he asks calmly. "Have you seen the medical reports? T'Espera was very thorough in documenting Jim's injuries."

T'Maire waves a hand dismissively. "Children will be children. If they are to prove themselves to Vulcan, they must learn to hold their own. You know it as well as I do."

Serek stiffens ever-so-slightly. "They are already two levels ahead of their age group. They conduct themselves as well as a typical Vulcan should. I hardly believe they have not _proven_ themselves to satisfaction." he says tightly.

That earns him a raised eyebrow. "Ambassador, you blind yourself to them. They are half-breeds, Jim even less than that, and yet you have given them your name."

"They are worth my name."

"You seem to be the only one who believes so."

"My wife shares my belief, as does T'Pau." Serek says, his voice sharp. "How is it your place to question the worth of my family? I need not your opinion – I only require you to sign the forums." T'Maire's brows furrow briefly in what might be a scowl, but she takes the PADD from him and signs it anyway. He takes it back from her with a nod of his head. "Thank you."

"I sincerely hope you know what you are doing, Ambassador." T'Maire warns. "I would hate for your decision to end unfavorably."

Serek has to resist the urge to snort. Towards the beginning of their marriage, Amanda taught him how to detect 'bullshit' with relative ease. It is a skill he found extremely useful for an ambassador. T'Maire, as Amanda would say, is full of it. "I sincerely doubt you are that concerned about my welfare, Headmistress." he says. "Live long and prosper."

"Peace and good health." T'Maire returns. She watches Serek leave with a focus that has him on edge. He pushes the odd feeling aside and returns to his home.

There is much more that needs to be done before they depart.

/-/

Amanda pinches her nose in a rare display of frustration. "Why are you insisting on coming with us, T'Leia?" she demands. "You have never traveled with Serek off-world before."

"I have not." T'Leia agrees. She's a young Vulcan, still quite undisciplined in the practice of her mind. Amanda always thought privately that Spock and Jim had more control than T'Leia does. The Vulcan woman folds her hands behind her back. "I have no need to speak of this with you. I would speak with the ambassador on the subject."

"No." Amanda says sharply. "You will speak with _me_ and explain your reasons, and then I will decide if you will speak with _my_ husband."

They stand in the greeting room, completely unaware of the two children hiding in the hallway. Jim glances over his shoulder at Spock. _That's the woman who was with T'Maire._ he says though their bond. Spock nods. Jim bites his lip. _We can't let her go with us, Spock._

_If _A'nirih_ allows it, she will come._ Spock replies dryly. _There is nothing we can say._

Jim clenches his fist. _She'll hurt you. She might even kill you._

Spock looks away. _She won't be the first to try, Jim. We've dealt with worse than her._

Jim huffs, but doesn't say anything more. He returns his gaze to the waiting room. Spock reaches out and takes his hand. Jim grips it tightly. _I won't let her hurt you._ The thought brushes against Spock's mind. _I promise._

Serek enters the house and pauses in the doorway. His gaze locks onto Spock and Jim. With one hand, he motions both of them back to their room. Spock and Jim flee without making a sound.

T'Leia will have to wait until the next day.


End file.
